Contributors
Beachcombing would not be possible without the contributions from writers and photographers around the world, who bring their stories of the beach and their beach finds through their articles on the pages of the magazine. Please learn more about these talented beachcombers, mudlarks, artists, experts, and collectors below.
In the September/October 2019 issue:
Cindy Bilbao
Cindy is the author and photographer of Sea Glass, The Official Sea Glass Searcher's Guide: How to Find Your Own Treasures from the Tide, Sea Glass Seeker, and Seashells. She is the founder of Sea Glass Searchers Club beach boutique located inside Staintons of Ocean City, New Jersey, and online at SeaGlassSearchersClub.com. Cindy lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two children and visits as many beaches as often as possible, with her camera in tow. Articles ›
JJ Caldwell
JJ grew up in the oceans of Micronesia and Hawai’i. She started surfing when she was 14, and met her husband Pat, during a surf session. She grew up collecting sea shells and started free-diving to collect sea glass four years ago on the island of O’ahu, where she worked as an interior designer for many years. Recently retiring from it, she now works full time as a silversmith, owner of KaiPua Designs.
Fiona Dart
Fiona is a retired Lending and Insurance specialist who was born and has lived all her life in Tasmania, an isolated state off Australia’s south coast. She is lucky enough to spend her days beachcombing, gardening, traveling, and caravanning. Her mission for finding sea treasures is her daily obsession. Find her on Instagram @fifi_by_the_sea. Articles ›
Nicole Lind
Nicole Lind loves collecting sea glass and all types of flotsam and jetsam on beaches beyond a 13th century castle ruin around the Kingdom of Fife and Edinburgh. Nicole is the founder of TiliabytheSea sea glass jewelry, a trained architect, and an interior designer. You can find her online shop at tiliabythesea.com and follow her on Facebook @Tiliabythesea and on Instagram @tilia_bythesea. Articles ›
Rebecca Ruger-Wightman
Rebecca is the Founder of Glassing Magazine and the Buffalo Beach Glass and Coastal Arts Festival. Rebecca is the author of three books: Autumn Splendor, This Kiss, and Sea Glass Crafts. She is the mother of four, living on the shores of Lake Erie with her husband, Larry, and her four-legged beach buddy, Brody. Articles ›
Jason Sandy
Jason is an American architect living and working in London. Beachcombing along the River Thames, he has found extraordinary artifacts, which are now on permanent display in museums around the United Kingdom. He is a member of the exclusive Society of Thames Mudlarks. Find him on Instagram @jasonmudlark. Articles ›
Kirsti Scott
Graphic designer and sea glass collector, Kirsti Scott of Etched by the Sea Inc. creates sea glass art and designs and she is the publisher and editor of Beachcombing. She is the author of A to Sea, A Sea of Colors, Beachcombing Journal, and co-author of I Sea: A Beachcombing Treasure Hunt. She lives on the central coast of California with her husband, a couple of ginger cats, and occasionally their three grown children. Kirsti is creative director and founder of web design firm, Scott Design. She has degrees in Economics from Stanford University and Graphic Design from Rhode Island School of Design.
Previous Contributors:
Penni Albarran
Penni Albarran lives with her husband, Juan, in Thousand Oaks, California. Piecing and designing quilts has been her hobby for over 25 years, and she teaches at Cotton & Chocolate Quilt Company. Penni’s favorite beach is Moonstone Beach in Cambria, where she can sit on the beach and just “breathe” or look for moonstones and other treasures.
Judith Altruda
Judith Altruda is a metalsmith who creates jewelry in Tokeland, Washington. Her pieces include materials such as ancient coins and Victorian era sea glass, whose stories inspire her designs. She is influenced by travel, nature, and the human experience. Read more at judithatrudajewelry.com. Articles ›
Lynn Armstrong
Lynn lives on the North East coast of England. She was hooked on beachcombing after finding her first multi on Seaham Beach. She beachcombs with her partner, Ian, on Shippersea Bay, home of the most amazing and unusual pieces of slag sea glass in the world. See more on Facebook @Gorgeousglassfromthesea.
Jessica Anderson
Jessica Anderson is a writer, artist, educator, and mermaid at heart with a passion for bringing together her creativity with her love of the sea. This passion flows through her writing as well as her work as a designer and silversmith for Low Tide Landing, where she turns ocean treasures into jewelry with her husband, Casey. Jessica has also worked as an art teacher for over a decade in Southern California where she lives with her husband and two (soon to be three) children. Articles ›
Veronica Bagnato
When she’s not working as a travel agent in Galveston’s historic district, you can find Veronica on the beach with her boyfriend and her two Dobermans, making jewelry with her finds, or sharing her love of local artists, sea glass, and Galveston Island on Instagram @TexasBeachCombing. Articles ›
Angie Battig
Originally from Ohio, Angie moved to Puerto Rico over seven years ago and fell in love with the vibrant culture and warm tropical breezes and the beaches perfect for beachcombing. Angie enjoys the sea glass hunt and the great friendships formed from it. She sells some of her finds and loves sharing information about San Juan and the beaches. Find her on Instagram and Facebook @PRSeaglassCo.
Mary Beth Beuke
Mary Beth Beuke is a Pacific Northwest US native. She’s traversed the Pacific Coast for a lifetime and has collected from around the globe and studied sea glass for decades. While president of the North American Sea Glass Association (2005-2010) she focused her energies on sea glass education and shoreline ecology. Her elaborate, worldwide collection has been featured on HGTV, The Travel Channel, National Geographic, Smithsonian and more. MB is a sought after speaker and she’s the author of The Ultimate Guide to Sea Glass. She exhibits the West Coast Sea Glass collection and photography at lectures, museums and beachcombing events. An award winning small business owner, Mary Beth lives and uses her beach glass in fine art jewelry which she makes from one of her two studios along Washington State’s Salish Sea. MB has three children and she enjoys kayaking and art photography. Articles ›
Kristina Braga
Kristina Braga is a retired attorney living in Long Valley, New Jersey, with her husband, son and daughter, three boxer rescues, and a pug. She and her husband spend time at their Jersey Shore home, enjoying long walks on the beach and, of course, collecting sea glass and pottery. She also enjoys oil painting, photography, and antiquing. Find her on Instagram @jerseyshorebeachcomber. Articles ›
Michele Brouder
Michele Brouder, originally from the Buffalo, New York area, now makes her home in Ireland with her husband, two boys, and a dog named Rover. She is the author of the Happy Holiday series and the Soul Saver series. She is also a contributor to the anthology, Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Miracle of Love. Articles ›
Linzi Buckmaster
Linzi is the magpie in MagPie In The Sky Designer jewelry. She is a jewelry designer, trained silversmith, published author, keen photographer, and freelance writer. A beachcomber since childhood, Linzi loves to use natural elements in her designs. She lives in Cumbria in the UK with her husband Jools, daughter Rhi, and a menagerie of cats and dogs. Find her online @magpieinthesky and magpieinthesky.co.uk.
Clint Buffington
Clint Buffington finds messages in bottles and writes about them. Clint runs the Message in a Bottle Hunter website, where he investigates the history of messages in bottles, shares true stories, debunks myths and hoaxes, and helps the senders and finders of bottled notes connect. Clint holds a Master of Arts degree in Literature from the University of Kentucky; he lives in Utah with his wife and bottle-hunting partner, Kate. Articles ›
Meg Carter
Meg is the artist behind Made by Meg Genuine Sea Glass Jewelry—specializing in sea glass and diamond engagement rings—and its sister company, Prism Sea Glass. She is the creator of the Carter Sea Glass Color and Rarity Guide. Meg lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with her husband and business partner, Jon, and their two daughters. Articles ›
Alicia Cockrum
Most weekends you can find Alicia behind the lens of her camera taking photos of the sea glass she finds along the coast of California. She is passionate about her work as a clinical psychologist and runs a small therapy practice in Northern California. She shares her love of sea glass, zen, and photography on Instagram as Tide Charmers.
Denice Cummings
Denice Cummings is a retired Registered Nurse, who now spends her time enjoying her passion: the love of the outdoors and the ocean. She is an avid sea glass hunter, artist, and jewelry designer. Sharing her love of beach treasures, Denice leads groups to Puerto Rico to find choice pieces of sea glass. Find her on Facebook @All Things Coastal: Sea Glassing in Puerto Rico.
Christine Doyle
Christine Doyle lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two kids. She works as a marketing coordinator as well as having a blog and is a contributing writer for the Bellingham Bulletin. In her spare time, she can be found beachcombing on a beautiful beach.
Lorraine Eaton
Lorraine Eaton has been a staff writer at The Virginian-Pilot newspaper for 30 years, a career she started in the Nags Head, NC bureau. She is the author of Tidewater Table, a local bestselling cookbook, and co-author of the Food Lover’s Guide to Virginia. Her work has won local, state and national awards and she has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Her work is included in three anthologies, including Best Food Writing 2012, an annual compilation of the best American essays and stories on the topic.
Denise Fashaw
Denise Fashaw, aka “Queen of Chaney,” is the owner of Chaney Chicks & Island Gifts on St. Croix, USVI. Originally from California, she now resides with her husband and her four pet rescues. When she is not busy custom wrapping beach treasures, you will find her in her “warehouse” snorkeling for sea glass and Chaney. Articles ›
Phyllis Ford
Phyllis has been a beachcomber since she could barely walk. She collects sea glass, shells, and wishing rocks on the coast of Maine with her two children. When she’s not on the beach, she helps companies create optimized online experiences through better UX design. Find her on Instagram @seacliff_design. Articles ›
Jean Forman
Jean is a retired school psychologist who is fortunate to combine newfound passions for beachcombing for sea glass and creating artistic jewelry along with her lifelong love of travel. She feels lucky to have found these passions and skills, so named her business Lucky Sea Glass Jewelry. You can find Jean’s jewelry in her shop at LuckySeaGlassJewelry.etsy.com.
Paul Garbutt
Paul Garbutt, AKA Paul Gammy, lives in the north east of England and sea glass hunts in his spare time. His passion for the beach started in childhood with fossil collecting. He now hunts for elusive dragon glass in Shippersea Bay. See his latest finds on Instagram @seaglassgamster and on Facebook in Sea Monkeys Worldwide.
Rebecca Hadley
Rebecca moved to Galveston, Texas, five years ago, where she lives in a drafty beach cottage and works for an insurance company. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring and photographing the beaches and bays that make the island such a special part of the Texas coastline. See her photos on Instagram @rebeccahadley. Articles ›
Richard LaMotte
Richard LaMotte is the author of the award-winning book Pure Sea Glass and a sequel titled The Lure of Sea Glass. He was a co-founder and past-president of the North American Sea Glass Association. Richard lives and works in works in Chestertown, Maryland. Richard and his book have been featured in The Washington Post, on Martha Stewart Living TV, Coastal Living, Parade Magazine, Baltimore Sun, The Boston Globe, Delaware Beach Life, on NPR and Maryland Public Television. Articles ›
Mary Louise “Wiesy” Lauffer
Wiesy is a lifelong beachcomber and artist living in coastal Delaware with her husband, Carl. A retired Virgin Islands art educator, she creates jewelry, sea glass/stained glass work, and crafts with her extensive collection. More at virginseaglass.com or on Facebook at Virgin Islands Seaglass.
Mary T. McCarthy
Mary is a bestselling author, reiki master, and founder of TheHealingBeach.com. She is Education Chair and Secretary of the North American Sea Glass Association and Executive Director of The Sea Glass Center. You can find her on Instagram @marytmccarthy or on the beaches of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Articles ›
Paula Newman
Paula of Peblsrock.uk lives in Seaham, England, and has been collecting sea glass since childhood. Seaham Beach has been the inspiration for The Legend of Mermaids Tears series and the Pocket Guide to Seaham Sea Glass, with companion guides planned for this year. Articles ›
Pauline O’Riordan
Pauline is a retired art teacher with two children, seven grandchildren, and one great grandchild. She lives in Dublin, Ireland, and has been involved in charity work all her life. She began beachcombing in her golden years and loves sharing her good fortune. Seeing her shards in their new homes gives her endless joy.
Carolyn Pigford
Carolyn lives in beautiful northwest Puerto Rico, where she finds simple pleasure in finding sea glass and using it to create one-of-a-kind jewelry. Nothing makes her happier than working in her studio or deep down in the blue of the ocean. Find her on Etsy, Instagram, and Facebook.
Jennifer Reed
Jennifer Reed got her BFA in metalsmithing from Edinboro University. In 1996 she started a sea glass-based business Relish, the first brick and mortar shop in the country built on sea glass. Relish focuses on custom, handmade beach glass jewelry and art by skilled metalsmiths. Jennifer is a founding member of NASGA and the promoter of the Great Lakes Beach Glass & Coastal Arts Festival. Articles ›
Bernadette Skipper
Bernadette is an Air Force veteran, mother, and art teacher. She has lived in Florida for over 26 years and loves finding seashells and beautiful sea glass on her beaches. You can find her leaving painted oyster shells on the beach for people to find, on Facebook running Florida’s East Coast Sea Glass Club, and on Instagram @BernadetteinFlorida.
Elizabeth Smith
Elizabeth Smith is a retired educator from Orlando, Florida, who now makes her home in the “Virgin Islands’ Best Kept Secret” St. Croix, USVI. When she is not hunting for sea glass and Chaney on the beaches and around plantation ruins, she is a creator/designer at Chaney Chicks & Island Gifts. Articles ›
Maureen Stanley
Maureen Stanley is a Jersey Girl through and through. Her favorite beaches include Cape May and Point Pleasant, New Jersey. When she’s not beachcombing, Maureen writes about all things gluten-free at holdthegluten.com. Find her on Instagram @holdthegluten.
Jackie Trimper
Jackie grew up in Prince Edward Island and lives in Nova Scotia, Canada. She has been collecting sea glass her whole life and creating sea glass mosaic art for over ten years. As a retired psychologist, sea glass has become a hobby turned obsession, as she spends hours of her time creating art with sea glass. Find her online everywhere at JackieTrimperSeaGlass. Articles ›
Dr. Lori Verderame
Dr. Lori Verderame is an author, internationally syndicated columnist, and award-winning artifacts expert on the History channel’s #1 hit treasure-hunting show, The Curse of Oak Island. With a Ph.D. from Penn State University and vast experience appraising art, antiques, and artifacts worldwide, Dr. Verderame is the director of www.DrLoriV.com, a resource for identifying art and artifacts. A world traveler and native of New Haven, Connecticut, Dr. Verderame resides in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Articles ›